Secondary or storage battery.



B. FORD. SECONDARY 0R STORAGE BATTERY. A?PL!CATION FILEDIUNE 16. 1914.

LSQ Patented Deo. 14, 1915 VVE/Viv@ race ro? i "i @y l @fm1/AWM.

BRUCE FORD, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANM.

snconnnav on sro To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, BRUCE FORD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Secondary or Storage Batteries, of which the/following is a specification.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a stopper device or closure -for the filling opening of a storage battery jar which is simple to open and close and which, by the act of opening and closing, establishes vent communication when the jar is closed, and a liquid seal mechanism for preventing overlilling when the closure is open.

Other objects of the invention are to insure the appropriate tightening of the stopper and the easy loosening thereof along with the described operation of the parts, while at the same time limiting the turning movement of the stopper and so making the device easy of operation even by unskilled persons.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description taken in conl nection with the 'accompanying drawings,

forming part hereof, and in which- Figure 1, is a transverse sectional view of the upper part of a storagebattery jar fitted with a closure or stopper device embodying features of the invention. Fig. 2, is a sectional view, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a perspective view of one of the parts detached. Fig. 4, is a top or plan viewv with the plug member of the stopper removed. Fig. 5, is a yview looking upward atthe end of the plug, and Fig. 6, is a sectional view.

In the drawings 1 is the plug. 2, is the lilling opening which is opened and closed p by the plug. Extending upward from the cover 3 is an annular seat 4 and depending from the cover is a sealing tube or skirt `5. The lower portion of the sealing tube is proi vided with an inward flange 6, shown as constituted by the top of a ring 7 screwed into the end of the tube.

8 and 9 are members of a bayonet joint and they are shown to extend inward from near the top of the seat and to each extend part way, about a quarter way, around the seat and they are arranged diametrically opposite to each other. Between the underside of these members 8 and 9 and the' ange 6 Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led .'l'une 16, 1914.

.a GE BATTERY.

Patented Dee. 14, 1915. serial No. 845,343. l

there is arranged for a movement of rotation a valve 10. The valve 10 is oblong and yits j ends l1 and 12 are cylindrical and conform each other and in proximity with the under-- side of the cover 3, are holes or openings 14 and 15, which are coveredy and closed, or uncovered and opened by the ends 11 and 12 of the valve, according to the position thereof. The plug carries the washer or gasket 16, which is arranged between the head of the plug and the edge of the seat 4 which may be sharpened as shown, if desired. Be-

neath the gasket 16 the plug is fitted or provided with the members 17 and 18 of a bayonet joint and these members are arranged diametrically opposite each other and each extend part way, in the presentinstance a quarter way, around the plug. The plug is also provided with small vent or pin opening 2O and with vent openings 21 arranged through its wall between the mem bers 17 and 18 of a bayonet joint and'with drip or drain openings 1-9. The plug is also provided with stops 22 and 23 at the ends of the bayonet joint members.

The mode of operation may be described as follows: When the jar is closed the valve 10 is in such position that its ends 11 and 12 uncover the vent openings 14 and 15. The bayonet joint members 17 and 18 of the plug underlie and engage the bayonet members 8 and 9 of the seat, one of the stops 22 or 23 limiting the position of the plug. The gasket 16 is, of course, squeezed between the head of the plug and the seat and thus the jar is closed while at the same time the vents 21 remain open. lt will, of course, Vbue understood that the ends" of the joint members 17 and 18 on the plug and 8 and 9 in the annular seat'4, together with the valve 10, center the plugin the seat 4 so that there is space between it and the inner walls of the seat 4 and tube 5. To lill the jar the plug is turned a quarter of a turn and it cannot be turned any farther, because it is prevented from doing so by either of the stops 22 or 23. As the plug is thus turned the valve 10 is also turned,

by reason of the engagement of thenbody of the plug with the opening 13, and the valve is turned in such position that its ends 11 and 12 cover the openings 14 and 15 and so close them. The plug can now be removed because its joint members 17 and 18 are out of alinement with the joint members S and 9. The valve does not come out with the plug because it is between the flange 6 and the members 8 and 9. As the jar is filled, the displaced air escapes through the filling aperture until the level of the liquid rises to the end of the sealing tube, when Athe liquid will lstart to rise in the sealing tube because air cannot escape from the interior of the jar since the openings 14 and 15 are closed, thus the jar may not be filled above the proper level, which is determined by the position of the end 'of the sealing tube. 'This is a matter of great importance, because if the jar is not too full splashing and spilling is minimized, if not entirely j prevented. After the jar is filled the stopper 1s again inserted and given a quarter of a turn with the result that the parts are returned to the position iirst described,

in which the vent openings 14 and 15 are unprises the combination of a cylindrical sleeve` extending through the jar cover and providedwith segmental joint elements and with a valve support and with vent openings, a valve turnable in said sleeve and arranged between said valve support and joint elements and provided with cylindrical ends adapted to cover and uncover said vent openings and having an irregularly shaped opening through it, `a headed and vented plug shaped to conform to the opening in the valve and provided with a gasket and with segmental joint elements adapted for coperation with the first mentioned joint elements, substantially as described.

I 2. A closure device for the filling openlng of storage battery jar covers which comprlses the combination of a cylindrical sleeve extending through the jar cover and provided with segmental point elements and with a valve support and with vent openings, a valve turnable in said sleeve and arranged between said valve support and joint elements and provided with cylindrical ends adapted to cover and uncover said vent openings and having an irregularly shaped opening through it, a headed and vented plug shaped to conformv to the opening in the valve and provided with a gasket and with segmental joint elements adapted for coperation with the first mentioned joint elements, and stops for limiting the range of turning motion of the plug, substantially as described.

3. A closure device for the lilling opening of Storage battery jar covers which comprises the combination of a cylindrical sleeve extending through the jar cover and provided with segmental joint elements and with a valve support and with vent openings, a valve turnable in said sleeve and arranged between said valve support and joint elements and provided with cylindrical ends adapted to cover and uncover said vent openings and having an irregularly shaped opening through it, a headed and vented plug shaped to conform to the opening in the valve and provided with a gasket and with segmental joint elements adapted for cooperation with the first mentioned joint elements, and stops at one of the ends of each of the joint members on the plug, substantially as described.

4. A closure device for the filling opening of storage battery jar covers which comprises the combination of a seat on one face of the jar cover, a sealing tube alined with said seat and extending from the other face of the cover and provided with diametrically disposed vent openings, a turnable valve mounted between the seat and end of the tube and having cylindrical. ends for covering and uncovering the vent openings and having a foliated opening through it, a headed and vented plug having a foliated body for turning the valve and adapted to said seat, and means for tightening and i loosening the plug.

5. A closure device for the filling opening of storage battery jar covers which comprises the combination of a seat on one face of the jar, a sealing tube alined with said seat and extending from the other face of the cover and provided with diametrically disposed vent openings, a turnable valve mounted between the seat and end of the tube and having-cylindrical ends for covering and uncovering the vent openings and having a foliated opening through it, a headed and vented plug having a foliated body for turning the valve and adapted to said seat, means for tightening and loosening the plug, and

stops for limiting'` the turning motion of the plug.

'6. A closure device for the filling opening of storage battery jar covers which comj prlses the combination of a sealing tube depending from the opening in the cover and provided wlth yents, a valve turnably mounted 1n the opening and adapted to cover and uncover the vents and provided with a plug receiving opening, a headed and vented plug adapted to fit said opening so as to turn the valve, and means for tightening and loosening said plug.

7 A closure device for the filling opening 5 of storage battery jar covers which comprises the combination of a sealing tube depending rom the opening in the cover and provided with vents, a valve turnably mounted in the opening and adapted to cover and l0 uncover the vents and provided with a plug receiving opening, a headed and vented plug adapted to it said opening so as to turn the valve, and means for tightening and loosening said plug and means for limiting the turning movement thereof. l

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

BRUCE FORD.

Witnesses:

EDGAR L. LoNGAKnR, GEORGE W. WILLIAMS., Jr. 

